Archive for the 'Tracer' Category

I’ve been actively attempting to be, oh, active. I’m starting smaller with just making sure I get so many steps each day with no breaks. I set the count a little low (5K) to make sure I can hit it fairly easily. Working a sedentary job means that I often forget to get up and move. My main goal is to do this every day with no breaking the chain. I’m up to 18 days. My feet and calves and shins are a little bit sore. I need to work on stretching. I keep not doing that. But I’ve been feeling fairly energetic. Pretty pleased with that. I’ve had a few days where I’ve pushed the workout a little bit more, but the main importance is to a) get in the minimum and b) every day. Once I’m not hurting so much and feeling pretty good about it, I’ll push the minimum up.

I got to meet a Swedish Vallhund puppy today. So cute. It’s pretty much a wolf-colored corgi. And so sweet. He was four months old. I didn’t have my boys with me. Wish I had. I took pictures, but they didn’t turn out so well, but here’s a quick picture. I’ve heard of them before but never seen one in the fur, so to speak. He was adorable and so very sweet.

In the meantime, I’m revising books. I’m hoping to have announcements soon. Oh! but I do have one. I’ve a Horngate short story coming out in August in an anthology. It’s got stories by Seanan Mcguire, Jim Butcher, Kevin Hearne, Faith Hunter, and lots more. The anthology is called Urban Enemies, and I’m going to have a copy to give away soon (of an ARC). Keep an eye on this blog and my newsletter for details. If you want to preorder, click here or on the cover:

We’ve also been out digging for petrified wood and finding some really great pieces. Going to be going out and doing more of it soon. The last time we went, a guy found a piece of carnelian limb cast. It was amazingly clear carnelian and it was shaped like a slice of wood. I can’t wait to go back and see what we can find. My husband found this one cool piece that was a little round piece of a limb. It had rotted in little columns through the wood and then those holes filled with agate. The outside is petrified wood. I’m really excited about seeing it polished. That’s something we hope to learn to do this summer. There’s a local rock and gem club we’ve been meaning to join and they offer access to equipment at a low price.

I also want to go hiking around Silver Falls State Park, and to the Tamolitch blue pool on the Mackenzie river. It’s beautiful.

Basically I want to get outside and get moving more. I like to, but I can’t seem to get over entropy sometimes. Which is completely annoying about me. Sigh.

This has been my go-to fast chocolate cake recipe for birthday cakes. It’s incredibly chocolatey and moist and delicious and not a lot of work.

I’ve just read through all of Lexi George’s Demon Hunting in the Deep South series. It’s over-the-top romance in some ways, but doesn’t take itself all that seriously in that regard. Really funny stuff, though. And all the side characters are just too much fun. They are total candy/popcorn reads, and totally worth it.

This week has been a rollercoaster. We’ve been working on getting Boy of Size into a neuro, which is not so easy, as they seem to have long lines. Same with getting the EEG. He is doing better the last couple days and not sleeping so much. He’s grown more, though, so maybe some of the sleeping is growing. It’s just really hard to watch him go through this and not to be able to help.

It has only been a slight distraction from the release of Edge of Dreams. What reviews I’ve seen have mostly been positive, so that’s good. But I still feel itchy that there aren’t more of them appearing. I keep feeling that no one is reading. I know, author paranoia. And the thing is that really, all I can do is keep writing.

And that brings me to the problem that I’m having a terrible time writing this week. See above on Boy of Size. So I’ve been reading. I discovered SM Reine. How is it possible I never picked up her books before? I know she’s been recommended to me. Sigh. I’m behind. I’m pretty sure I have other books of hers on my kindle, so I’m going to have to do more.

I’m trying to read more and do some reviews. Partly because some of the books are coming from netgalley, partly because I like to talk about the books. It’s crazy how easy it is to stop reading and watch bad TV. So now it’s more of a goal. I do keep track of the books I read in a year in the hopes that I’ll notice when I am not reading. Maybe keep myself honest.

I have some twisties going on in the next Diamond City Magic book. Kind of unexpected (a lot unexpected) but totally perfect. Picture me chortling.

I had nightmares last night in which I was required to do math problems. Math. Problems. WTF???

I have to fly to Dallas in a couple weeks for RT and with all the weather reports, I’m growing unenthusiastic. Gulp! I’m an RT virgin, so I’m also a little bit floundery about that. It should be tons of fun, once I’m on the ground.

The girlie’s birthday is today. I’ve got to make a cake. I’ve got to go to the grocery store. I should get on that. I did wrap stuff. So I am on top of that.

This last weekend I attended Orycon, which was a lot of fun. My panels mostly went well and I enjoyed them. I got to talk about torture and the woman in the fridge, about urban fantasy and crime and noir and so on. I didn’t have a many people at my reading, which was too bad. I did get to hang with a number of friends and had a great time. Got to know some new folks, and that was terrific. Got a little bit of writing done and signed books at Powells on the last day. I laughed a lot. Unfortunately, I can’t remember many of the things overheard at cons sorts of phrases that I should have. Sorry. Bought some books and then came home and fell into a coma.

Wow, reading this, I suck at con reports. The upshot is I had a great time. Oh, and the green room had real food. Nutritious food. Wonderful. Next year the con moves to a different hotel across the river, and closer to the Brazil meat restaurant that Amy Thompson and I were drooling over, but didn’t get to. Sadness.

Went swimming today at a local aqua center. They had a lazy river pool and a water slide and several other things, but the kids and I had a good time floating and sliding and giggling. That is until I went down the slide and managed to mash my head into the water in such a way that I got a nasty headache. Bleh.

On the really cool good news side of things, Trace of Magic has been nominated for best urban fantasy novel in the indie/self-pub category by Romantic times. The other nominees are awesome. I’m in great company. A whole bunch of other great books have been nominated in other categories, too. Congrats to all nominees! I’ve never been to RT, but I’d really like to go. It costs a lot to go, though, so not sure if I can manage.

We also talked to contractor about doing some work in our back yard. We have a drainage issue, and we want to expand our patio and maybe put in a retaining wall to help with the drainage. Waiting to hear how much that might cost.

Wish I could have spent more time with some people at Orycon. Joyce Reynolds-Ward, for one. We only got a few quick moments here and there. Same with John Pitts. Not enough time.

Boy made it through the whole week of school. Some sickness, but he has been decently cheery and he’s so welcomed by his teachers. Hopefully he’s making friends again. Girlie, in the meantime, has decided to play the clarinet in band. She also liked the oboe and the flute, but decided against them.

We’ve had lovely weather this week, and yet I’ve had horrible sleep. I’m not sure if I’m staying awake, or not sleeping deeply, or just tossing and turning and not sleeping well. I wake up exhausted. I’ve tried short naps, but can’t fall asleep. I’ve been out walking, not a lot of help. I did end up waking up soaked in sweat last night. Makes me wonder if I’m a little under the weather, though who knows. The annoying thing is that it slows my thinking for writing.

Speaking of writing, Trace of Magic has his #89 on the Kindle romance fantasy book list. Yay! I’m here to remind you again that I’d love a review anywhere if you’d be willing. Spreading the word for me would be fabulous.

And to encourage you, a snippet from the next Book:

“We are not done with this conversation,” he said. It sounded like he’d pushed the words through clenched teeth.
I laced my fingers through his as he wriggled his right arm under me and pulled me tight against his chest.

“Yeah, we are,” I said.

“Not a chance, Riley. We’re having it out.”

I smiled as I felt myself sinking into sleep. I yawned hard, my jaw cracking. It took all the effort I could muster to have the last word. “I know,” I said, loosening my fingers from his and patting his hand. “But when you find out the rest of the story, you’ll be far too pissed to come back to this.” Whatever this was. I wasn’t entirely clear.

The boy’s birthday is tomorrow. I have wrapped things. Probably going to be buying a cake, mostly because I’ve no time to bake. That could change. We’ll see.

Boy and girl have also successfully gone to three days of school. For girlie, not a surprise. For boy, a milestone. He’s managing his illness as best he can and he’s been really chipper and upbeat when he comes home. He’s going to have to see about testing out of his math class. It’s advanced math, but last year he swooshed past it. He’s going to get bored if not. Girlie is making friends and she likes her teacher. She’s been a giggly thing all week.

I have been attempting to get into a work routine. I haven’t done as well as I wanted, but then I haven’t been sleeping and that does seem to take a toll. Today I cut out of work to go to a farmer’s market with my mom and get this dragon by Jessica Douglas framed. Mine is a copy, not the original. One day I hope to get one of her original dragons. She’s a phenomenal artist. (I also have a print of her Crap Fairy, which I love).

Trace of Magic continues to wander a bit in the wild. I’m hoping people are enjoying.

And finally, I’ll close with this: All About the Bass, by Meghan Trainor, Jimmy Fallon, and The Roots. Even though I love the song, I love it more with The Roots and Jimmy.

Today only! Come on over to Bitten by Books and hang out with me, ask questions, and maybe Win money! Contest is all day today, September 3.

And while you’re at it, I’m at The Quillery talking about the magic in Trace of Magic. Please come by and say hello. She has a review, also. A very nice one. She finishes with: Bottom Line: Trace of Magic is a wonderful start to the Diamond City Magic series and Riley Hollis is one of new favorite Urban Fantasy heroines.